


Shadows Fade

by Galvais



Series: Shadows Fade [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Persona 4
Genre: Action/Adventure, Barely Legal, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Eventual Romance, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-23 05:51:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11983497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galvais/pseuds/Galvais
Summary: A blending of Persona 4's and Dragon Age: Inquisition's plots. The setting is Thedas, characters from Persona 4 are a part of this setting and assist the Inquisition with closing the breach, tracking a reckless murderer across Orlais and Fereldin and discover the truth behind the opening of The Breach.





	Shadows Fade

**Author's Note:**

> Obviously I don't own DA:Inquisition or Persona, all characters, settings, etc... belong to their respective owners.

In Thedas, mages of many elemental disciplines, when coming to their full ability, must undertake a trial known as the Harrowing. This trial places the mage in deep sleep while under guard, they are able to reach their unconscious mind into another realm of shadows and demons, the Fade. In this realm, a test of mental strength begins and it is required for a mage to resist temptation and possession by the native demons and shadows. Unless the mages wake and prove they aren’t possessed, they may be killed by the guards in the real world. Yosuke Hanamura, an orphan who lived outside the free state of Kirkwall most of his life, is 17 years of age, just finished his Harrowing and returned to the real world unscathed. His magical abilities seemed lacking, where ice and lightning elements were common forms of magic taught, his talent was too warm for blowing gusts of frigid air to chill his foes and the winds were too erratic to form clouds to launch lightning. His unique wind magic earned bizarre stares during training, even after his successful Harrowing, coupled with his charming, bumbling nature added to the irritation from his instructor's stares. 

Encouraged by another orphan mage in the community, Yosuke headed out into the larger region of the Empire of Orlais, southwest to Kirkwall. He had never felt comfortable enough with his instructors to explain how his Harrowing really played out in the Fade. "I am thou...." he heard the same phrase in the Fade, over and over again. The shadow before him taunting the young mage, goading Yosuke to attack. Claws of black stretched from the shadow, giving it the form of a massive frog with a rider on the back, an appearance of a puppet master controlling the beast below it. The shadow threw petty insults, oftentimes hitting a nerve in its more serious words. As the fight went on, Yosuke did what he could to fight it off, throwing his own swears and curses along with mighty gusts of wind, striking the shadow. "...thou art I." The phrase was completed before waking to the real world. 

Now he arrived in a small town on the northern fringe of the Orlisian Empire, settled by foreigners many ages ago, called Inaba. It was comfortable here, he slipped into the general populace, accepted even for his odd magical abilities and queer nature. Life had stabilized for the young man, taking jobs in neighboring towns and regions until one day he came face to face with his own shadow once again. He had barely outsmarted his opponent in the Fade, relyied on using his natural luck in combat against this shadow back then and toppled it. Now in the real world, a rift to the Fade before him and the same shadow, digging its claws into the ground and ready to lunge at him to finish that battle from two years ago. Yosuke scarcley managed to jump away from the lunging frog-like shadow monster as another mage came into view, also young but with grey hair and eyes, released a meagre lightning bolt from his left hand, his silver staff in the other. Yosuke brushed away his brown hair from his eyes as he stood next to this lightning mage, casting a barrier to protect them. The shadow reeled into the ground out of pain, screaming obscenities at Yosuke, calling him out for his cowardice for running away, leaving his instructors to worry two years now. The shadow kept at this for some time, clearly distressing the brunette wind mage, the rescuer lightning mage reached out his right hand, a glowing blue card appearing before him. Crushing the card in his hand unleashed blue flames over the grey-haired young man, consuming him in his real power, summoning a tall, ethereal figure, black robes lined with red velvet, an iron mask and boots, a broad pike with a dragon design in the figure's right hand.

Yosuke jumped back when the figure appeared from a pillar of blue flame, he had never seen or heard of such a power anywhere in Thedas. "Izanagi! Use Zio, now!" This figure, name revealed as an ancient Thedas warrior, revered as a god by later generations for his many talents, Izanagi, leapt forward and stopped mid air above the amphibian shadow. With the dragon-pike lifted above his head, Izanagi unleashed a massive lightning bolt the likes of which couldn't be conjured by any common mage. Yosuke looked from the mythic figure back to his rescuer, scanning him for signs of demonic possession... no, he had not been taken to temptation, there was clarity and care in those grey eyes. This stranger had heard all of his thoughts, those insults and malevolent jeers were from his own deep mind, he knew the truth and it was physically painful resisting the taunts from the monster.

Izanagi was about to release another strike of Zio when Yosuke heard that voice again, "I am thou, thou ar-" before he could listen to this again he screamed. "Wait!" The grey-haired mage and his summon, Izanagi, following suit, both froze in place and stared at Yosuke with careful eyes, no sight of shame, disdain or pity from them.

"'You were a coward running away for petty reasons.' 'You could be seen as a threat to Thedas, you were too scared to admit your failures in the Fade.' 'You shouldn't involve others in your miserable existence, there's nothing you can offer fellow mages.'" Yosuke repeats the taunts, his innermost thoughts, earlier screamed at him by the shadow. He steps forward to the shadow, still reeling in pain from the lightning attacks. "I am Yosuke Hanamura, a unique wind mage, I'm still learning! I must remember my limits, remember what I CAN do and I'm willing to accept responsibility for my actions. I know who you are." Stopped in his tracks by his own realization, a card appeared before him. "You're me!" With a new-found determination, he reached out to the card and crushes it, the blue flames spiraled around his body and the shadow, the amphibian monster glowed in a brilliant light, reshaped to a new form. The new body was lanky, dressed in a thin, white long coat and trousers, wearing a black mask, long red hair, blown upward by a mighty vortex of wind magic.

The rift to the fade remained before the two mages, both unable to close it. They resigned to rest against the trunk of an evergreen, a quiet moment to acquaint themselves. "I'm Yu, nice to meet you, Yosuke." The grey-haired mage reached his right hand over to the wind mage to his left. "Good to meet you too, ser." "Yosuke were about the same age, no need for honorifics, please." Yu's calm demeanor relaxed Yosuke, a Maker's blessing since the conversation would soon turn serious. "Yu, what was THAT, that... summon? That shadow or demon, had found me after two years, what is that rift? Do I have the same power now?" After a torrent of other questions, Yu took on the mantle of calm, reassuring the wind mage again as he responded. "Demons and shadows in the Fade can also come from the mage himself while on their Harrowing. A deep part of their mind, their fears and own self-loathing manifest in a massive shadow. We have some effectiveness against them with the Maker-given talent of magic but the only way to be rid of them is to accept that they are a part of you. Use those insecurities to learn and grow from them, a mask to fight hardships in life, a Persona." "Persona, huh? I've never heard of that kind of magic before, so it really isn't possession, since you have full control over the summon?" Yosuke was astounded to hear about this new ability. "That's right, my Persona of Izanagi is a PART of my own mind, drawn from a deeper level of the Fade, perhaps the Golden City itself, where the Maker Himself is said to rule. Izanagi's appearance and magic skills come from my own imaginings of what he may have looked like and my own natural lightning talents." Staring at the rift as his rescuer explains this new power, Yosuke has one last important question. "How do we use this power to close the rifts?" Yu looked at his conversation partner, replies in the usual calm. "We can't, but the Inquisitor can."

Yosuke had heard wind of a new Inquisition, the precursor of the Templar Order. Templars had been like wardens, lording their mundane selves over mages out of fear, whether it be fear of possession, plague, Blight, blood magic or some combination was anyone's guess, Templars never shared those intimate parts of themselves with others. A few years ago, a mage had blasted a chantry building, killing innocent people to start an uprising against the Templars in Kirkwall. Yosuke had been at the secluded orphanage at the time but traveling merchants would tell of the events, telling of frightening tales for the entertainment of the young ones. His Harrowing ended and when made the choice to come to remote Inaba, he heard rumors of a new Inquisition in response to another cataclysmic event. The sky itself had torn open, a massive rift to the Fade and only one man, a Qunari mage no less, was able to close it. These smaller rifts were still spouting demons and shadows, dotted the lands of Thedas, they were going to be swept away in a long campaign by the Inquisitor personally. Yu continued, "Inquisitor Adaar is making his way north from Skyhold as we speak. My uncle, Dojima and I are apostate mages, my cousin Nanako is too young to tell if she has any talent but we made our way to Haven just before an archdemon attacked. Adaar saved us all, my uncle and I fought nearby in the chantry hall before the village population was evacuated to the mountains." Yosuke made a face of utter disbelief, "You didn't use your persona in combat, did you? I heard there were sympathetic ex-Templars in the Inquisition but they must have still been weary about mages around them." Yu knew what his companion was saying was true, but as he was now a fully fledged member to the cause, felt defensive at first. He then cleared his throat lightly, replied again in calm, "I did use Izanagi in combat, and it did raise many questions at first but when Inquisitor Adaar himself was satisfied I wasn't possessed, he allowed me a region to look over and coordinate trade with his army." Yosuke's face was beaming, he hadn't fathomed such benevolence from a group calling themselves The Inquisition. 

A soft smile relaxed on his bright face, thinking over his new power, the threat posed by a massive hole in the sky, reopened through unknown means and force of will... should he really ask to be a part of this cause? His shadow had tormented him with remarks about his cowardice, his fears and insecurities. Jiraiya, another deity who had once been a mortal warrior, a trickster swordsman who in some fables had used wind magic, he was often considered to be dishonored by the Chantry many years ago. As far as he was concerned, it seemed fitting to join the blasphemous Inquisition, this would give him purpose, plus he rather liked Yu. His calm, that caring gleam to those stone-grey eyes, were all remarkable. He turned to the lightning mage, opened his mouth to speak, "Would you like to come back with me? I must report to Commander Cullen, a former Templar and trusted friend to Adaar." There was no hesitation, Yosuke answered with a heartfelt yes and the two made their way towards an encampment. The brunette stepped lightly alongside Yu through most of the camp, had to wait outside of Cullen's coordination tent. Leading the Inquisition forces needed proper planning, especially since Adaar was expected to arrive in the evening. 

Yosuke wandered around the camp for a short while, humming a tune to himself (Never More), eyed the few goods available to purchase from a travelling merchant. The young man was not fond of fish, and there it was, a cart loaded with many, many different fish. The merchant even had eastern style, thin cut raw fish atop balls of sticky rice. He shuddered and looked over the next tray and failed to realize Yu had returned and already bought a doughy pastry with mixed vegetables rolled in it, split the large bun in half and offered some to Yosuke. "Thanks, Yu. How could you tell I didn't like fish? That was considerate of you." He flashed a big smile taking his half of the fried bun. "I saw your face twisting at the fish." Yu's calm, matter-of-fact voice hit a small chord with his companion but Yosuke quickly let it slide, it was a fair description of his open disgust of fish. Plus he knew Yu didn't mean to be insulting or disparaging in his statement, in his mind it seemed as though a close friendship with his rescuer was certain.

The two finished eating and Yu brought Yosuke to his tent. "Commander Cullen has agreed to meet with you, another Persona User could be most effective in combat against demons and shadows, coming from him that's a tactful understatement. He knows that since we have awakened to our personas, we can't be possessed by Fade creatures so having us nearby when the Inquisitor arrives will provide extra protection. His power to close the rifts is vastly different but also blocks attempts at possession." Yosuke still had a lot to wrap his mind around but did his best to keep up. He knew for his own sake, to prevent his persona from reverting back to a shadow, he had to stay determined. 

Yosuke was instructed to come to an open field just outside the camp perimeter, sun just starting to set, set up to display his Persona abilities. A despair demon had floated in range, spawned from the same rift as his shadow emerged from earlier. Yosuke carried his mage staff in front of him, stood firm. He faced the icy form of a deathly-cold despair demon once it began firing off streams of ice magic against the wind mage. Yosuke's natural talent could shield him from this kind of ice attack, he erected a barrier in place for added safety, this wasn't going to be a normal fight. Cullen's outward scoffs betrayed his growing impatience with the young brunette until, his own golden eyes looked upon a blue card floating and spinning slowly in front of the wind mage. The image on the back was of a half white, half black mask with flowery embellishments printed around, while the other side was marked with an odd symbol. The Tree of Life, but there was more around it. Two stylized hands reaching to a burning Tree of Life, underneath were two printed words: The Magician. Cullen had heard of mind healers and fortune tellers use such cards for learning one's personality and divine fortune telling. Once when he was a Templar and being treated by a doctor specializing in mental collapse, they had him draw and recall similar cards. The visage of a similar card displaying in open combat did nothing to settle his nerves, he angrily wished the demonstration would end soon.

Yosuke took a firm hold of his staff, blue card floating and slowly spinning before him, he twirled the metal staff in his hands above his head, quickly bringing it down to smash the card with the top of the magical accoutrement. "PERSONA!" The lanky figure in white again appeared before Yosuke, stretching his arms wide to block the ray of ice being blasted at his other self. "Let's go, Jiraiya!" Yosuke moved from behind his persona for a clear view of the demon and command the first attack. "Garu, now!" With that command Jiraiya brought his hands together in a rare casting pose, spinning all the while, his white coat swirling around his body along with his bright red hair dancing around his face, a column of green-tinged winds caught the demon, knocking it to the ground. Jiraiya quickly disappeared, the ray of ice was cut off for a moment but the demon was quick to recover. Yosuke knew these kinds of demons were weak to fire magic, he would have rely on his natural luck to win. "I'm counting on you, Jiraiya!" Another staff-spin-and-smash to the blue card before him, the persona again rose from blue flames to fight. Icy air struck Yosuke directly before his persona had a chance to intercept, knocking him down to the ground. Groaning, pulling himself up he let out a swear, "Damn it, I'm pissed now... attack with Bash!" The floating figure in white lunged forward and brought his fists crashing against both sides of the demon, cutting off another blast of freezing air. "It's not going down!" He yelled back to Cullen, who in return flashed a look of disappointment until Yu stepped up beside his fellow mage. 

Yu reached his hand to his own floating card, "The path is dark, Orobas, I need your fire!" he crushed the card in his bare hand and out from the flames arose a bipedal horse with red fur and dark purple mane. Orobas was a lesser deity worshipped by some elves near the Hinterlands, though they had migrated beyond that region some time ago. A partial quote of the Chant of Light, "the path is dark", even though they were in combat, Yosuke couldn't help but notice the words spoken by his battle partner. Though, there was a fire using deity in Orobas, just what Yosuke needed against an icy despair demon. He brushed that observation of the Chant aside to focus on the fight. "I'm burning up now, Orobas! Use Agi!" Yu commanded this new persona with skill and self-confidence, the horse-man raised his head and reached his arms forward, casting a bright flame over the demon. Stunned, writhing in pain, a chance to strike presented itself to Yosuke. "Let's do this Jiraiya, hit it with Bash!" Jiraiya flew again, bringing both fists to bear against the squirming demon, weakening it physically enough for the flames to finish consuming it into non-existence. 

The battle over, Orobas and Jiraiya faded, leaving the two mages to catch their breath. "Not bad, partner..." Yosuke reached his hand to Yu, who then took it gratefully with a smile. "Looks like I've got to step up, too." Yu let out a slight chuckle hearing the drive in his friend's voice. Hands locked to seal a silent contract together, Yu and Yosuke gave a slight nod to each other. They walked side by side to Cullen, smirk on his face, "You do have talent, the Inquisition can make use of that, though you must choose to join of your own volition. As Templars we didn't have a choice to control mages and their gifts but we will ensure that change can sweep through Orlais and the rest of Thedas allowing capable mages to be treated equally." A rumble rose over the mountains ahead, the breach in the sky still growing and throwing demons and shadows from the Fade. "Though we must first deal with the breach and find those responsible for opening it." Cullen continued, holding out his hand towards Yosuke. "Will you help us?" Yosuke reached his hand, "I am thou, thou art I..." That voice again in his mind, calm and self-assured, like... Yu's but this voice was his own. "You can count on me." A light, confident smile, heart filled with a sense of purpose, the Commander and young wind mage sealed their agreement with a firm handshake. Inquisitor Adaar was soon to arrive, his entourage less than a mile away. Yosuke and Yu both looked out towards the road, "So that was a part of the Chant of Light I heard." "Uh, yes. My Uncle was a circle mage in the Redcliff tower, he taught it to me." "Templars guarded each floor of a circle tower, are you sure you're okay with being around former Templars, Yu?" A response of a light smile, “I’m safe with them.” the same care in his eyes said all Yosuke needed to know. "Oh, by the way, what was that?! You have more than one Persona?" Yu's cheeks tinged pink and he stammered a second. "Uh, that's a bit harder to explain, perhaps we can discuss it tonight before bed?" "We're bunking together?" Yosuke was a little embarrassed, he'd not shared a sleeping space since he was younger. "Cullen decided to have both Persona Users share a room, yes." It seemed as though Yu wasn't bothered by the notion at all, relieving the tension in the brunette.

With the arrival of Inquisitor Adaar, a massive, well built Qunari, like most of their race, carried himself with practiced poise and refinement, very unlike his race, Cullen escorted him to the planning tent. Bending down to get in, the two proud horns atop Adaar's head were unmarred by scrapes and cuts of brutal physical combat, but polished to a healthy black sheen. No doubt horns in such good condition would be a trademark of other Saarebas, traditional Qunari mages. They boast as being easily three times more powerful than a Tevinter Magister from the Imperium. Of course no Magister would ever admit such a thing, beast-men weren't ever so gifted according to them. Yu pressed his left hand against Yosuke’s back, gently enough to guide him into that large tent. For a brief moment, Yosuke was distracted by maps pinned in the tent and suddenly bumped into Adaar himself, bouncing against the Qunari’s bulbus derriere. A sudden jolt of shame pushed him backwards and the wind mage found himself half inside a large container filled with scrap papers, torn fragments of clothing. Adaar chuckled before lifting Yosuke from the container only for the scene to elicit a disappointed groan from Cullen. His haggard face half-buried by an armored hand slightly in shame, attempted to present the new Persona User and half to stifle a breathy chuckle, though he'd never admit that. "Ahem, Inquisitor, this is Yosuke Hanamura, our new Persona User. He met Yu out in the field near the rift and his awakened power is still very inexperienced." Adaar rested his large hand on Yosuke's shoulder, "Welcome to the Inquisition, young ser. If you're looking to train your abilities, I recommend staying by Yu. He'll teach you what you need to know." Adaar looked over to Yu, a knowing nod between the two. "I have already started his training, Inquisitor, and I have allowed Yu to assist." Cullen adjusted the armor breastplate, he had been wearing it since sunrise and it was late night already. "We have much to plan for, we’re closing the rift in the morning." With that, Yu and Yosuke took places next to the table in the center of the tent, a map of the area spread out.

After an hour of planning, setting up for a push against this relatively small rift in the morning, the two mages retired to their own tent. "He sure is something, partner!" Yosuke was elated to meet someone of such great importance. "The only one who can close the rifts, a Qunari, most would think of him as nothing but a beast-man, a merc just out for an easy sack of coin but... after speaking with him-" His voice trailed off, Yu was busy getting dressed down for bed, removing his black coat with the Inquisition Eye symbol embroidered on the back, setting it down. He then began to remove his black leather trousers, already taken care of the belts holding the pants on his lithe hips. Yosuke blushed, quickly turning around to get himself to bed also. "I know what you mean, he cares a great deal and he's honest." Yu was already laying down, his cot just two feet from Yosuke's, which was soon occupied by the lanky brunette. "Thanks, partner. For everything, I'll help out any way I can." The two looked over to each other and stretched their arms out for a handshake.

A flash of light between the two of them, a blue symbol, The Magician design, The Tree of Life in flames grasped by hands on either side. As quickly as the pattern appeared before them, it vanished save for a faint twinkle of light to rest over Yu's heart and retreat into his chest.

"The Wind Mage link, power of The Magician... I am thou, thou art I, from the corners of the world he comes, a companion of power to seek the truth of the calamity... and bring peace to Thedas."

 

I might keep this story going, a crossover of Dragon Age: Inquisition and Persona 4.


End file.
